Assessing mortality registration in Kerala: the MARANAM study

Complete or improving civil registration systems in sub-national areas in low- and middle-income countries provide several opportunities to better understand population health and its determinants. In this article, we provide an assessment of vital statistics in Kerala, India. Kerala is home to more than 33 million people and is a comparatively low-mortality context. We use individual-level vital registration data on more than 2.8 million deaths between 2006 and 2017 from the Kerala MARANAM (Mortality and Registration Assessment and Monitoring) Study. Comparing age-specific mortality rates from the Civil Registration System (CRS) to those from the Sample Registration System (SRS), we do not find evidence that the CRS underestimates mortality. Instead, CRS rates are smoother across ages and less variable across periods. In particular, the CRS records higher death rates than the SRS for ages, where mortality is usually low and for women. Using these data, we provide the first set of annual sex-specific life tables for any state in India. We find that life expectancy at birth was 77.9 years for women in 2017 and 71.4 years for men. Although Kerala is unique in many ways, our findings strengthen the case for more careful attention to mortality records within low- and middle-income countries, and for their better dissemination by government agencies.

Web-Based New Student Admission Information System Using Waterfall Method

The current development of information technology on the activities of people's daily lives is very influential. Where in doing an activity that takes a lot of time can be shortened to complete it. One of the things that we can see at this time is in the field of education. Education service technology is feasible if the government, education service providers, and the community all work together. The problem is how to build information system technology that can provide educational service processes without intervening in existing operational standards. The New Student Admissions Information System is a website-based platform designed to enable public access to information about schools and the new student registration process. The waterfall approach was used to construct this information system, together with the PHP programming language, the Codeigniter 3 framework, the MVC pattern, and the MySQL database. The results obtained in the form of a new student admission information system website that provides services related to registration, and processing of registration data by the school administration. With this research, it is expected to facilitate new student admission officers at Al Azhar Islamic Elementary School 32 Padang to process data well, and help parents to register their children as new students at Al Azhar Islamic Elementary School 32 Padang.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of European Innovation—An Exploratory Approach via Multivariate Functional Data Cluster Analysis

We apply a functional data approach for mixture model-based multivariate innovation clustering to identify different regional innovation portfolios in Europe, considering patterns of specialization among innovation types. We combine patent registration data and other innovation and economic data across 225 regions, 13 years, and eight patent classes. The approach allows us to form several regional clusters according to their specific innovation types and captures spatio-temporal dynamics too subtle for most other clustering methods. Consistent with the literature on innovation systems, our analysis supports the value of regionalized clusters that can benefit from flexible policy support to strengthen regions as well as innovation in a systematic context, adding technology specificity as a new criterion to consider. The regional innovation cluster solutions for IPC classes for ‘fixed constructions’ and ‘mechanical engineering’ are highly comparable but relatively less comparable for ‘chemistry and metallurgy’. The clusters for innovations in ‘physics’ and ‘chemistry and metallurgy’ are similar; innovations in ‘electricity’ and ‘physics’ show similar temporal dynamics. For all other innovation types, the regional clustering is different. By taking regional profiles, strengths, and developments into account, options for improved efficiency of location-based regional innovation policy to promote tailored and efficient innovation-promoting programs can be derived.

Steppe Eagle in the Republic of Kalmykia (Russia): Results of the 2021 Survey

The article presents the results of the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) study in the Republic of Kalmykia. 135 breeding territories of eagles were examined and 155 birds were observed during summer registrations and counts. The average distribution density of the occupied breeding territories in 2021 in the main part of the area was 2.15 (1.54–2.99)/100 km², in the zone of the large number of food resources – 5.72 (4.45–7.35)/100 km². The percentage of occupied breeding territories was 71%, and 43% of the occupied territories were successful. The number of nestlings in broods ranged from 1 to 3, averaging 1.81±0.69 per successful nest (n=43) and 0.73±0.95 per occupied nest (n=105). The percentage of nests with dead clutches and nestlings was high at all surveyed plots. The main diet of eagles during the breeding period included the Little Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus pygmaeus) (44%) and several additional prey items. A preliminary assessment of habitat suitability for the Steppe Eagle in terms of food conditions was carried out using GIS methods. Based on the registration data and clarification of the breeding range borders (47086.7 km²), the number of the Steppe Eagle in Kalmykia was re-estimated at 789 (587–1059) pairs. The signs indicating a negative trend in the population intensified: the percentage of immature birds in breeding pairs was 27%, the percentage of abandoned breeding territories was 19%. There is a consolidation of breeding groups in the population nucleus with a simultaneous decrease in breeding density at the periphery. Among the negative anthropogenic factors in 2021 there were the following: mass mortality on power lines, destruction of the food potential by the locals, disturbance during breeding, probable taking away of nestlings from nests.

Applying Benford’s Law to Monitor Death Registration Data: A Management Tool for the COVID-19 Pandemic

In Spain, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the various regions of the country differently. The availability of reliable and up-to-date information has proved to be fundamental for the management of this health crisis. However, especially during the first wave of the pandemic (February–August 2020), the disparity in the recording criteria and in the timing of providing these figures to the central government created controversy and confusion regarding the real dimension of the pandemic. It is therefore necessary to have objective and homogeneous criteria at the national level to guide health managers in the correct recording and evaluation of the magnitude of the pandemic. Within this context, we propose using Benford’s Law as an auditing tool to monitor the reliability of the number of daily COVID-related deaths to identify possible deviations from the expected trend.

Information Opportunities of Administrative Data on Residential Real Estate Transactions for Calculating the House Prices in Russia’s Housing Market

Purpose of the study. Development, justification and testing of a methodology for improving statistical monitoring of average prices in the Russian housing market, based on the use of registration information of the Unified State Register of Real Estate (USRN) on transactions for the purchase of residential real estate, in accordance with international statistical standards for Residential Property Price statistics.Materials and methods. The theoretical basis of the study was the United Nations system of national accounts (version of 2008), including the European system of accounts as amended in 2010. The research methodological base was made up of official statistical sources: metadata and international statistics guidelines in the field of national accounting, Handbook on Residential Property Price Indices and related housing indicators, as well as methodological provisions and an album of Rosstat forms, and methodological materials of the administrative statistics of the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography of the Russian Federation (Rosreestr). The depersonalized registration data on households’ market transactions of the Unified State Register of Property Rights and Transactions maintaining by Rosreestr were used as an information database of the research.Results. The main result of the study is the design and substantiation of a system of indicators for the construction of an integrated information source for Residential Property Price statistics, on the base on interdepartmental information interaction.Conclusion. The proposed system of indicators will provide a highquality database that could be used in order to construct constant quality House Prices for various types of homogeneous residential property in the housing market, complying with the concepts of international statistical standards.

Registration and medical certification of deaths in the Indian States: A comparative analysis of data of CRS and MCCD reports (2010-2019)

BackgroundThe medical certification of cause of death (MCCD) under Civil Registration System (CRS) has been implemented in the States/UTs in a phased manner to provide data on cause of death but due to incomplete coverage and inadequate quality of civil registration data and medically certified data system, use of this data has been compromised. The completeness of registration of death (CoRD) and completeness of medically certified deaths were assessed from 2010 to 2019 at state level to understand their current status and trend over time and also to identify gaps in data to improve data quality.MethodsCoRD and CoMeRD for each year for each state was calculated from the CRS reports and MCCD reports respectively for the period 2010-2019. Data were analyzed nationally as per geographical region and individual state. Union Territories excluding Delhi and Telangana have not been considered in this analysis.ResultsThe CoRD in India have increased in the CRS from 66.9% in 2010 to 92 percent in 2019, a significant increase of 37.7% over 9 years (P<0.001) whereas India has not witnessed a substantial increase in the CoMeRD in MCCD which has increased from 17.1% in 2010 to only 20.6% in 2019. Among the 29 States, 18 (62%) had CoRD >95 percent in 2019, with 15 states recording 100 percent of CoRD however just 3 states (10.3%) have CoMeRD more than 50% namely Goa (100%), Manipur (67.3%) and Delhi (61.7%).Interpretation & conclusionsDespite the significant progress made in CoRD in India, importance of medical certification cannot be undermined; critical differences between the States within the CRS and MCCD remain a cause of concern. Concentrated efforts to assess the strengths and weaknesses at the State level of the MCCD and CRS processes, quality of data and plausibility of information generated are needed in India.

Nationwide trends in prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity among people with disabilities in South Korea from 2008 to 2017

Objectives This study investigated the 10-year trends of weight and prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity according to disability grade and types compared with those without disabilities. Methods This serial cross-sectional analysis was conducted using national disability registration data with national general health checkup data from 2008 to 2017. Age-standardized prevalence of underweight and obesity were analyzed for each year, according to the presence, type, and severity of disabilities. Odds of underweight, overweight, obesity, and severe obesity were examined by multinomial logistic regression after adjusting for socio-demographic and clinical variables using data in 2017. Results Over 10 million subjects in each year were included in the analysis. In 2017, 14,246,785 people with age between 19 and 110 years were included and 53.1% was men. For 10 years, age-standardized prevalence of obesity and severe obesity showed significant increases regardless of sex and presence of disability. However, age-standardized underweight prevalence in people without disability tended to decrease whereas it was an increase in 2012 and the prevalence has remained steady since in people with disability. People with disabilities had higher odds of underweight compared to those without disability (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.38–1.44 in male and OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.28–1.34 in female), especially in those with severe disabilities (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.94–2.06 in male and OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.77–1.89 in female). Women with disabilities are more likely to be obese than those without disabilities regardless of disability severity (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.38–1.41). Participants with mental disorder showed the highest prevalence of obesity, followed by epilepsy and developmental disability. Conclusions Having a disability was associated with higher odds/probability of both obesity and underweight. The intersection of female, severe disability, and mental/developmental disabilities was associated with probability of severe obesity. Simultaneous efforts are needed to develop health policy to reduce both the prevalence of obesity and underweight.

A-10-Year Review on Survival Rate and Prognostic Factors of Ewing Family Tumour in Children at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Introduction: Ewing Family Tumour (EFT) is a group of rare malignant and aggressive tumour, with a considerably improved prognosis. However, there is lack of study on the outcome of children with EFT in Malaysia. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the Overall Survival (OS) rate, Event Free Survival (EFS) rate and identify the prognostic factors that determined the EFT outcome at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Methodology: A retrospective record review of children aged 0-18 years with EFT was done. Patients were identified from the registration data in the Oncology Unit and Record Office of Hospital USM. For patients with untraceable information or deceased, a letter was sent to State Registry to obtain the outcome of the patient. The association between demographics and patients’ clinical factors was determined using the Cox regression. Survival curves were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared using the Log-rank test. Results: There were 51 patients identified but 29 of them were eligible for the study. The mean duration of follow-up was 21 months. The OS rate at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years were 62.1%, 44.8%, 30.2% and 21.6% respectively. The EFS rate at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years were 41.9%, 26.7%, 17.8% and 0% respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the presence of surgical intervention (p = 0.030) and major complications (p = 0.045) were the significant prognostic factors to the survival of EFT. Conclusion: The survival rate of EFT among our patients was comparable to other developing countries, with surgical intervention and the presence of major complications as independent prognostic factors.

Specific peculiarity of the forensic veterinary expert conclusion structure according to the research of fowl corpse results

The article identifies and systematizes some issues of the forensic veterinary expert conclusion structure according to the research of fowl carcass results. It is claimed that the sequence of fowl carcass examination results presentation is determined by a forensic veterinary expert with account the examination specifics, the object study state and the issues nature raised by the subject of examination appointment for the expert decision. It is shown that the peculiarity of its introductory part is a specific issues list raised for the forensic veterinary expert decision by the research subject. Mandatory elements of the “Research” section in the expert's conclusion is a statement of the individual documents study results in the proceedings and directly related to the examination (extract from the animal's health history, fowl ambulatory card, site inspection report, etc.), carcass registration data, results of its external and internal research according to certain algorithms description, results of additional researches (forensic chemical, histological, forensic toxicological, etc.), forensic veterinary diagnosis and the synthesizing part conclusion formulation. The final part of the expert's conclusion is the questions answer to the mentioned in the introductory part in a categorical or, as an exception, in a probable form. Be sure to indicate the damage nature or pathological changes, their location, the cause of fowl death, the causal relationship between the damage caused to the fowl health and the onset of its death. The appendices peculiarity is that they are drawn up in the photo tables form, which carry information about the fowl carcasses forensic veterinary examination stages, supplement and confirm the expert's opinion verbal part.